Sunday, May 25, 2008

Guardian Letters Project: The Results Are In

For anyone who's still following my FEARLESS INVESTIGATION into the possible gender bias on the letters pages of the Guardian and the Observer, I am proud and delighted (not to mention just a little bit deflated and depressed) to inform you that the final reckoning has been, er, reckoned, and you can see the results in these three separate posts.

I know this is not the most important thing in the world. I know that even by drawing attention to it I may be setting the cause of gender equality back rather than forward, a bit like Bidisha does with her frankly bizarre outburst about why people don't rate JK Rowling as a writer (thanks Oli for bringing that to my attention).

I may just be depressed because I read the comments thread appended to this XKCD post about the ratio of female to male leads in Hollywood movies (thanks Del for that one, via Slaminsky), and realised that there are a lot of people out there who won't accept what's staring them in the face, and probably never will.

Anyhow. Your fearless investigator ploughs on regardless, at least until teatime, when she's scheduled to continue the Firefly-watching marathon that she has embarked upon in response to your overwhelming recommendations. I am very much enjoying it so far.


IN OTHER NEWS: After what may have been possibly the least stressful house-buying escapade ever, Mr BC and I have exchanged contracts on the New House (which is actually a very Old House), and get the keys next Friday. Woo!

7 comments:

Jayne said...

Oooh, glad you're enjoying Firefly. 'Tis fab. And not a burning vagina in sight heh.

Nathan Fillon is tres pretty in tight trousers though.

Valerie said...

Firefly is good television, though it didn't grip me entirely. Then again my SO has now watched the series approximately two dozen times, so it may be a problem with overfamiliarity...

V. excited to hear about the house! Nesting indeed. Hope the move goes swimmingly.

Speaking of which, happy Towel Day!

patroclus said...

Jayne: It's a sad indictment of my current state of mind that the thing about Firefly that has impressed itself most on me so far is their awesome dining table. It has metal legs! And a top made of polished floorboards! I.Want.It.

Valerie: Thanks! Apparently it's also Nerd Pride Day today - now there's a day I can get behind.

Dave said...

Well, the post ends with Good News All Round. So that's good.

I need to find a house in the next three months, but I must admit that I keep hoping someone with a spaceship will drop by and whisk me away.

Tell me, is this just wishful thinking?

Annie said...

Hurrah for your house! Well done indeed.

I love Firefly. I fancy all the men, the women are all cool, it's by Josh Whedon, what more could you ask for?
(Serenity the film was good as well, when you are finished with the series.)

Jayne said...

Hah! You're nesting. Aww, that's so cute.

Oh yes, that is a totally awesome table. I love the mixture of scifi and ordinary stuff all over. However, I'm sure on a second (or third) viewing the allure of the men will overtake the allure of the table. Probably. (it is, after all, a great bit of furniture)

patroclus said...

Dave: Make sure you're fully dressed when it happens, you don't want to end up roaming the galaxy in a dressing gown.

Annie: I don't fancy any of the men yet, but I do have a soft spot for Alan Tudyk after the Knight's Tale. The women are indeed all cool.

Jayne: I don't know, it *is* a very nice table. I spent quite some time last night figuring out how I could make one - ha, even though I was so completely useless at CDT (at my school it was called 'Workshops') that the teacher had to put the barley-sugar twist into to the handcrafted spatula I was making for me.